Match book



B. L. BROOKS MATCH BOOK June 30, 1942.

Filed Dec. 7, 19x58 @Md-fx @HFPL llllllllllllnuul. .22S

Patented June 30, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MATCH BOOK Benjamin L. Brooks, Lynchburg, Va. Application December 7, 1938, Serial No. 244,337

(Cl. S-29) 4 Claims.

This invention .relates to improvements in match books and has for its ultimate object the enhancement of the match book asa medium for the display of advertising matter.

The conventional match book as is well known, comprises a core of match combs stapled in the trough of a folded cover strip having a short Vfold over the base of the match comb core in front, and a long fold which envelops the core With the free end tucked between the short fold and the match comb core. The short fold is usually coated with a striking abrasive, while the inner and outer sides of the long fold of the cover strip are devoted to the display of advertising, which sometimes also covers the matches themselves.

Much ingenuity has been exercised in the attempt to enlarge the advertising capacity of a match book at the minimum increase in cost. For example, it has been proposed to staple in with the match combs an additional leaf covering the front of the match combs, giving added advertising space, and acting as an ignition guard without nullifying the function of the short fold as a tucking detent or latch for the cover ap.

The placing of this additional leaf requires an additional manipulation in the manufacture of the match book, entailing an increment of cost which the cheap value of the article will scarcely bear.

'Ihe present invention has for its principal object to provide a match book in which the short fold at the front is integrally prolonged so as to overlie the matches or a substantial part thereof being an integral counterpart of the additional leaf above referred to. The fact that it is integral with the short fold however obliterates the edge of said short fold and its function as a tuck latch for the cover flap, necessitating the provision of special means for securing the cover flap, which means is Within the purview of the present invention.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the following description of a preferred and practical embodiment thereof proceeds.

In the drawing which accompanies and forms a part of the following specification and throughout the several figures of which the same characters of reference have been employed to designate identical parts:

Figure l is a front elevation of a match book embodying the features of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a cross section tal-:en along the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a front elevation of the match book shown in Figure l with the cover iiap in open position;

Figure 4 is a front elevation of a modified form of match book, in open position showing primary and secondary means for tucking in the of the cover iiap;

Figure 5 is a View similar to showing the match-occluding front fold torn off;

Figure 6 is a vertical cross section through the match book shown in Figure Ll, the book being in closed position with the match-occluding front fold intact;

Figure '7 is a vertical cross section of the match book shown in Figure 5 in closed relation, with the match-occluding portion of the front fold removed;

Figure 8 is a front elevation of an open match book showing the match-occluding portion of the front fold bent down over the straight bight of the staple, also showing the secondary tuck latch.

Before proceeding to a detailed description of the several embodiments of the invention, it may be stated that the practical possibilities for creasing the advertising capacity of a match book are decidedly limited owing to the very low limits of cost which govern the manufacture of an article of this class which is generally given away with tobacco products or other commodities. It the cost did not have to be calculated with such nicety, it would be an easy matt-er to increase the advertising areas of the match book to any desired extent, but under the circumstances attending the manufacture and distributhat of Figure 4 portion of the .tion of match books, even an improvement which requires a single manipulation in the manufacturing process may make the cost of adopting the same prohibitive. As has been suggested, the addition of a single leaf has not prov-en practical for placing the leaf in position with respect to the match comb core has been an additional manipulation, the cost of which is prohibitive.

Another circumstance which is an important factor in the commercial practicability of the match book as an advertising medium is the value of the additional leaf from the standpoint of advertising. As the additional leaf must cover or occlude the match-es, it is apt to be regarded as a nuisance by the user who tears it o without particular attention to the advertising message which it carries or regards it with a feeling of irritation when trying to get at the matches. Such a construction is not apt to be considered psychologically good advertising.

The present invention has in contemplation an integral counterpart of the additional leaf which while normally occluding the matches will not in a -great number of instances be torn 01T and discarded, but will be permitted to remain and be used as an ignition guard due to the facilities which the present invention has provided for getting it out of the way without tearing it off when access to the matches is desired and for tucking the cover flap in place regardless of the presence of the integral match-occluding extension. It is of course understood that the main purpose of the integral extension of the front fold is to add to the advertising capacity of the match book by providing additional surfaces on both the back and front faces of the front fold for th-e display of advertising.

Referring now in detail to the several figures, and rst to that form of the invention shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the numeral I represents in general the match book consisting of a core 2 comprising in this instance two match combs 3 and 6l and having the base of the core seated in a trough 5 formed by the folding of the cover strip 6. Said cover strip has a front fold 1 which overlies and occludes the matches of the match 1.

combs or a substantial portion thereof. The cover strip also comprises the back fold 8 which is flexed at 9 about the heads of the matches and has an anterior portion forming the front cover flap, the lower or free end II of which tucks Y behind the forwardly bent end l2 of the staple I3 which secures the core 2 within the trough formed by the folding of the cover strip.

The front fold 1 may be considered as an integral extension of the short front fold which is A found in conventional match book construction and which short fold itself forms a tucking latch behind which the free end of the cover iiap is inserted. In view of the integral nature of the front fold 'I there is no place wherein to tuck the end of the cover flap I and consequently the need arises for the provision of some special latching means such as the turned end of the staple I3 provides.

Figures 1 and 3 show that the staple I3 prefi erably has a broad straight transverse blight lli, the presence of which acts as a straight edge over which the match-occluding portion of the front fold 'I may be conveniently bent without tearing it away. is an invitation to bend the match-occluding portion of the front fold out of the way when getting access to the matches instead of tearing it olf altogether. Thus in a great many instances, this portion of the front fold I will be retained throughout the life of the match book, especially in view of the fact that it serves as an ignition guard. The presence of the integral front fold I acts as a guide for facilitating the insertion of the free end of the cover iiap behind the staple i3.

Figures 4 to 8 inclusive represent a form of the invention in which the match-occluding portion of the front fold I is weakened along the line I to facilitate tearing it off, said weakened line being substantially coincident with the rectilinear bight Ill of the staple I3. In addition, the middle portion of the front fold I is provided with an arcuate perforation I6 defining a tongue The presence of such staple I'I which is integral with the lower or stub portion I8 of the front fold 'I.

The user of this match book has two choices; in seeking a match, he can bend over the matchoccluding portion of the front fold, the shape of the bight III of the staple I3 facilitating this bending. Whilever the match-occluding portion of the front fold 'I is retained, the free end I9 of the cover flap will be slipped behind the staple I3 for latching purposes. The other option is to tear off the said match-occluding portion of the front fold which will leave the tongue II. In the absence of the match-occluding portion of the front fold 1, it is probably easier to guide the free edge of the cover flap behind the tongue II, sliding it along the surfaces of the matches than it would be to insert the tongue behind the staple I3. The staple is therefore designated as the primary latching means, for it holds the match book closed when rst purchased or received, and subsequently so long as the matchoccluding portion of the front fold is retained. If the said match-occluding portion of the front fold is discarded, the staple need no longer be employed but the free end of the cover flap may be tucked behind the tongue II, the latter being termed the secondary tuck latch. However, it frequently happens that the tearing olf of matches leaves the edge of the stub ragged and bunchy, making it difficult to slip the cover flap beneath the stub, in which case it is slipped behind the staple as shown in Figure '7.

It will be observed from Figure 4 that the match-occluding portion of the front fold is in its original position, that in Figure 5 it has been torn ofi" and that in Figure 8 it has been bent down over the bight of the staple I3, said bight acting as a straight edge or template. It will be noted also in Figures 4 and 8 that in one case the match-occluding portion of the front fold and that in the other the cover flap have been cut out in special shapes associated with the advertising. While these shapes are not regarded as patentable features they illustrate the versatility of the match book as an advertising medium.

It will be understood from the above exemplary forms of the invention that the additional advertising space is provided by the extended portion of the front fold 'I which covers or substantially covers the matches. This likewise functions as the ignition guard. The main purpose of the present invention is to so construct the match book that this extended portion 'I will in a large number of instances be retained by the user of the match book instead of being at once torn on" as a nuisance as would be the case with an eXtra advertising sheet stapled in with the match combs. The provision of the forwardly bent staple in the forms of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 8, inclusive, permit the match book to be latched in closed position initially in all events, and subsequently in the event that the user retains the advertising extension 'I. The presence of the staple is an invitation for him to retain the advertising sheet. The flat bight of the staple makes it convenient for him to fold the advertising extension out of the way rather than to tear it off. If he elects to tear it off the tongue Il remains in those forms of the invention disclosed in Figures 1 to 8, inclusive, making it more convenient for him to close the match book than would be the case in a construction in which an additional sheet stapled in with the match combs were torn olf for in the latter instance there would be a rough edge to obstruct the insertion of the free edge of the cover iiap beneath or behind the remaining stub of the front fold.

While I have in the above disclosure described what I believe to be practical forms of my invention involving either no additional cost to manufacture or an increase in cost that is negligible, it will be understood that these specific forms are examples of many others which may be constructed, embodying the same principle and therefore being within the scope of the present invention.

What I claim is:

l. Match cook comprising an integral cover strip folded to form a trough, a core of match combs seated in said trough, said cover strip having a front fold of such length as substantially to cover said match combs affording a space for advertising display, and a back fold of such length as to be flexed about the heads of said match combs, the anterior portion forming a front flap, said front fold being formed with a line of weakness the intermediate portion of which is a slit forming a tongue integral with the side of said trough when said front fold is torn off at said line of weakness, adapting said front ilap to be tucked behind said tongue.

2. Match book comprising an integral cover strip folded to form a trough, a core of match combs seated in said trough, said cover strip having a front fold of such length as substantially to cover said match combs affording a space for advertising display, and a back fold of such length as to be flexed about the heads of said combs, the anterior portion forming a front ilap, said front fold having a line of weakness at the top of said trough adapting it to be torn oi whereby the front ilap may be tucked into said trough, and a staple securing said match combs within said trough, the bight of which staple having a straight portion substantially coincident with at least a portion of said line of weakness to facilitate the tearing of said front fold along said line of weakness.

3. Match book comprising a cover strip folded to form a trough, a core of match combs seated in said trough, said match book including a front portion extending from said trough of such length as substantially to cover said match combs, affording a space for advertising display, said cover strip including a back wall of such length as to be flexed about the heads of said match combs, the anterior portion forming a front nap, said extending portion being formed with a line of weakness the end portions of which substantially coincide with the edge of said trough, the intermediate portion of which is a slit forming a tongue extending from said trough when said extending portion is torn off at said line of weakness, adapting said front ilap to be tucked behind said tongue.

4. Match book comprising an integral cover strip folded to form a trough, a core of match combs having a base seated in said trough, said cover strip having a front fold of such length as substantially to cover said match combs affording a space for advertising display, having a line of weakness thereacross in the region of said base denning a tongue which materializes when said front fold is torn off along said line of weakness, said cover strip having a back fold of such length as to be ilexed about the heads of said match combs and to lap over said front flap, and a staple pinning together said core, said front fold below said tongue, and said back fold, said staple being bent forwardly with its bight against the front fold at the base of said tongue, forming a detent behind which the free end of said cover ap may be tucked between the tongue and staple to hold the back in closed position.

BENJAMIN L. BROOKS. 

